The Tug of War
by alexb49
Summary: The beginning of a few short character pieces on family going off to war. Part 1. Lu Ten Part 2. Hakoda Part 3. Iroh
1. Lu Ten

"I'm so glad you could join us for dinner," said Ursa, waving the wine steward past her. "You must be terribly busy."

Lu-Ten offered up his glass eagerly. "Thank you," he nodded to the steward. "There are always many things that are last minute prior to a deployment but I'll always have time for family."

"Azula!" Ursa's eyes flashed. "Leave your brother alone!" Azula snapped to prim and proper form, hands delicately clasped in her lap as if she had not just been stabbing at her brother's leg with her butter knife. Zuko was scowling deeply at his dinner plate, continuing to refuse to look at anyone as he had since dinner started. Ursa sighed at her children.

"You must be so eager to rejoin your father." Ursa delicately sipped at her glass of water. "Lord Azulon says this next campaign will be the final push to bring down the walls of Ba Sing Se."

"Miserable old bastard," snarled Ozai. He ignored Ursa's scolding "Ozai!" and drained the wine from his goblet. The wine steward snapped to attention as Ozai slammed down his empty glass. The servant bowed as he tried to pour more wine without making eye contact with Prince Ozai, hands shaking.

Lu-Ten raised his glass to hide his smirk. "Father often says that Grandfather Azulon is too mean to die."

Ozai snorted at this. "True," was his only comment as he swirled his refreshed glass in his hand.

Lu-Ten caught Zuko sneaking a glance at him out of the corner of his eye. The boy had been avoiding him all day. He stuck his tongue out at the boy playfully, since this usually pulled the boy out of one of his moods. Zuko was having none of it, his scowl deepening even more.

Lu-Ten turned to address Zuko more formally. "You must be having some serious thoughts," he said in mock seriousness. "If you keep making that face, don't you know it will stay that way?"

Zuko shifted uncomfortably in his seat but refused to rise to the bait.

"He's just been crying all morning because you're leaving," said Azula matter of fact, being ever so helpful.

"Was not!" hollered Zuko in outrage, cheeks flaming beet red. He made to kick his sister under the table but his mother knew what to expect. "Zuko," Ursa called, warningly. He grudgingly settled back in to his chair, refusing to look up at anyone, cheeks still burning.

"Did I ever tell you about the time one of my infantrymen got trapped in the komodo rhino barn?" interjected Lu-Ten, attempting to change the topic.

They continued to exchange pleasantries through the rest of dinner.

Lu-Ten gave his mouth a final wipe with his napkin and rose from the table. "Sadly I must bid you all farewell, so I may resume packing." He offered small bows and turned to exit. As he headed towards the doorway in the massive dining room, he heard the scuffle of another chair backing away from the dinner table.

"May I be excused?" He heard Zuko ask politely.

"Of course you can, dear."

Lu-Ten hurried down the main hallway and ducked at the first main turn off, his back hugging the wall. He heard quiet sniffing as he heard Zuko shuffling down the hallway, following Lu-Ten's path. He waited until the boy was closer.

"Gotcha!" Lu-Ten bounded from his hiding place and grabbed Zuko, lifting the child in the air.

"Put me down!" Zuko kicked, struggling unexpectedly. Lu-Ten quickly did so, shocked. Usually his cousin loved this game.

He set the boy back down on his feet and sat on his heels to meet the boy at eye level.

Zuko's face was serious, eyes red. "Father says I shouldn't be playing games because I'm not a little kid anymore."

"Bah!" said Lu-Ten dismissively. "No games! Where's the fun in that?" Lu-Ten made a playful scowl. "Your father is as big a meany as Azulon." He tickled Zuko playfully.

Zuko tried to hide a small grin that lasted for an instant before he became serious again.

"Do you have to go?"

Lu-Ten dropped his playful demeanor to match the solemn child. "I do."

Zuko finally looked up at him, making eye contact with him for the first time in days. He threw his arms around Lu-Ten in a hug, knocking the man flat on his rear earning a small "oof!"

"Do you promise to write every day? You promise-promise?"

"I promise-promise," Lu-Ten said softly into Zuko's hair. He rose, towering over the small boy. Zuko sniffed and wiped at his face with his long sleeves. The boy finally cracked a true smile.

Lu-ten beamed. He offered the boy his hand. "C'mon. Let's go steal some fruit tarts from the kitchen."


	2. Hakoda

The full moon's face shone brightly over the village. Hakoda hoped that she would continue to light the way as they followed the course that he had charted for his people.

He had no time for self doubt now.

"Now men, it's important that you show no fear when you face a firebender. In the water tribe we fight to the last man standing, for without courage, how can we call ourselves men."

The crowd of men rumbled at Hakoda's words. Spears were beat against the ice, echoing off the giant glaciers that surrounded them.

Hakoda looked out over his men, the warriors of the Southern Water tribe, proudly. He pumped his own fist into the air. "Let us prepare for battle!"

Clubs and machetes were raised towards the full moon with a final roar as the men circled around the ceremonial fires that cast dancing shadows on the men's faces.

He watched his men slowly become the wolf pack, dipping carefully into the pots of pitch and paints as they traced patterns on their skin in time honored tradition of wartime. He noticed one small, tan face trying to look for all the world as if that was where he belonged.

"Sokka," he murmured. His features became solemn. He silently closed in on his son and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder.

The boy nearly jumped out of his skin, letting out a bleat of surprise. Sokka guiltily tried to hide his paint stained fingers, spreading the paint already on his face to the sleeve of his fur trimmed coat as he rubbed at his cheeks. The boy looked like he would like nothing more than a fissure to open up and swallow him whole.

"Dad! I, uh, I was just, umm, making-sure-I-had-made-up-this-batch-of- warpaints-right-and-I-wasn't-sure-if-you-were-mad-at-me-and-please-let-me-come-with-you?" Sokka's tongue tripped over his words. Hakoda hid his smile as he grabbed a spare wash cloth from next to the pots of paint and dipped it in some water.

"Son, we've been over this before. You are staying here." He kneeled before his son, gently washing away the smears of white and black on the boy's face.

"Buh, but, but I want to help!" stammered Sokka. Hakoda's expression softened at this.

"I know, son," he said tenderly. _So brave. Just like his mother_. Grief tugged at his heart for a moment. He passed his hand over his eyes, as if to wipe his sadness away. _No time for that now_.

"*I* need you to stay here," he continued softly. _I need to know that you are safe_. Hakoda clapped a broad hand on his son's thin shoulder. "Besides, who's going to train the next generation of warriors for me while I'm away?"

Sokka's eyes went wide at the thought. "Me? Train the little ones?"

"I would trust no one else with such an important task."

Sokka's chest puffed up in pride at his father's words. Hakoda could see the plans for the future forming behind Sokka's wide blue eyes, twisting and turning like eddies in the ice floes.

Hakoda leaned in and conspiratorially whispered, "One thing though. Don't let Katara boss you around." He poked the boy in the ribs. "You're her big brother and you need to protect her."

"I will Dad!" said Sokka, beaming proudly.

Hakoda broke in to a wide smile and scooped his son up into a hug. The tell tale prickle of new tears forming made him exhale slowly to keep them at bay.

_We'll be together again. I swear it._ He collected himself and rose to tower of the boy.

"C'mon. Help me get my cabin trunk on board."

__________________________

A/N Hakoda's opening speech cribbed from Sokka's speech to the babies in _Boy in the Iceberg_. Sokka was never a good public speaker so he must of heard it somewhere before. And Sokka's mildly sexist attitude in S1 had to start somewhere. I figured he just took his father's words too close to heart.

Traffic reports say folks read these and other pieces of mine but I get few reviews of any kind. Any feedback is very much appreciated. Good, bad, or indifferent.


	3. Iroh

"I am so glad you are home." Ilah placed her thin hands on her son's stout shoulders.

Iroh leaned in, kissing the tiny woman gently on the cheek. He had always taken after her, in stature if not in temperament. "I've missed you too, Mother." He offered her his arm. She took it gladly.

"Promoted to Major so quickly! I'm very proud." She patted the arm entwined with hers warmly.

He ran his fingers through his hair to scratch his scalp in bemusement and chuckled. "It doesn't hurt to be the Crown Prince, Mother."

"Hush, child! You should be proud of your accomplishments. This last campaign in the Earth Kingdom was a long one for you."

"Three years," he murmured. _I've been away for three years._ He was having a hard time letting the enormity of that sink in.

"It's a shame that you will have to leave again so soon."

He sighed. "My men need me."

They walked slowly through the garden in silence, taking comfort in each other's company. His mother seemed to have a route in mind. He let her guide him.

"Come," she said. "You must meet your brother."

_His brother._ The words were completely foreign to him. It seemed long ago that he had been deployed as captain of a small company of men in the 12th battalion. Today he returned home with new braids marking him a freshly promoted major and going to meet a brother he had never met.

Iroh had been an only child for 21 years. He had heard news of his mother's pregnancy on the front line. It was difficult to process the thought of having a sibling.

If he was honest with himself, he felt very out of place at home. Too many changes. Changes in the palace and his family. Too many changes in himself.

They had arrived. He held the heavy door open for his mother. An ancient woman clapped her hands as she looked up to see who had entered.

"Prince Iroh! It is so good to see you home safe and sound!" She was still agile, maneuvering between the many toys at her feet to greet them.

"It is good to be back, Jing-Wei." He hugged the woman who had taken care of him since he was born.

Jing-wei startled in realization. "Ah! You've never met him." She turned and bustled to the metal castle playset that was nearly as large as the room itself. She tapped on the ornate ramparts.

"Ozai! Come on out, little one! There's someone to see you."

The toddler emerged head first from the play castle's drawbridge. Raven haired, golden eyed, he clearly took after Azulon. Iroh wondered bemusedly if the boy would get any of his father's height.

"There you are!" Jing-Wei tickled the boy and he giggled as she gathered him up with surprising strength. The boy shyly hid his face from this stranger in Jing-Wei's shoulder. She presented the young prince to his family.

Ilah smoothed the small boy's brow. "Ozai, meet your brother Iroh."

The brothers looked at each other with equal amounts of curiosity and trepidation.

Iroh had faced down the fiercest Earth Benders in the Earth Kingdom, leading his men into the heat of battle, bringing down hundreds of worthy enemies.

When faced with this small child, he was at a complete loss of what to do next.

Ilah smiled at the slight alarm visible on her son's face. "It's all right. You can hold him." She nodded her approval as Iroh awkwardly moved to take the boy from Jing-Wei's hands.

The boy /_his brother_/ hesitantly brought a tiny hand to Iroh's face and was fascinated with examining Iroh's nose. Iroh marveled at the small hand, at this little creature that hadn't existed when he had left on campaign.

He was saddened by the thought that he would soon depart on yet another mission. That this brother he just met would likely not remember this meeting when he returned.

It shook Iroh to think that he would soon be expected to start his own family. He looked cross eyed at the small pink fingernails on the tiny hand on his nose, feeling his brother completely relax in a stranger's arms. The boy wordlessly gurgled in contentment.

Iroh's heart almost burst as pressure swelled in his chest from mixed emotions. Happy for a new brother. Sad that he would not get the chance to be a part of this boy's life.

He made a vow. He would never let the war come between him and any son of his own.

His son would know his father.

"They look so handsome together!" Jing-wei laughed.

With a squeal of delight, Ozai grabbed on to the Iroh's small goatee and yanked it hard with his tiny fist.

Ilah rescued Iroh, attempting to detach the baby's hand, who was still pulling on Iroh's beard like a bell pull. "Ozai! Gentle!" She passed the baby back to Jing-Wei, who tsk'ed the child with a waving finger.

Iroh almost gratefully let his mother have his brother back, wiping the tears from his eyes.


End file.
